Legends And Legacies
by ph34r-t3h-cu73n355
Summary: Sakura is KIA, Sasuke is back, and Naruto is having strange...memories? What is going on? What is all this? So many secrets, so many lies. When will it all end? kakashixoc
1. Prelude

_Why?_

_Don't...please._

_Why are you trying to take me from him?_

_No....I promised....that I would protect him._

_Why?_

_Why?_

_Don't....no...._

_NARUTO!!!_

Naruto startled awake, sitting up in bed. Sweat dripped from his bangs and clung to the back of his neck. His labored breathing resounded through his room, the echoes of those screams still ringing in his ears. The nightmare was still fresh in his mind, the sound of that woman's cries terrified him.

He remembered being in a dark room, looking on as a scene played out. A woman stood in a hallway, the door leading outside was open, three shapes standing just beyond, casting shadows into the home. The woman had pale blonde hair that reached the backs of her thighs. She seemed to be resting something wrapped in blanket on her hip, a child, him. Blonde hair peeked out from over her shoulder, his trademark, unruly hair.

He was stuck in place, watching the scene unfold as the three faceless people tried to take the child version of him from the woman's arms. She struggled, begging, pleading. She forced them off and took a step backward. Though he couldn't see her face, he saw drops of water fall from her chin. Leaves suddenly swirled around her feet, then the scene changed.

His younger-self and the woman were sitting in front of a grave. Who's? He couldn't tell. The woman was speaking, though Naruto couldn't make out the words. She squeezed his younger-self close to her and gave him a small kiss on the head, before falling over. His younger-self fell down beside her and tried to get her to awaken. Six shadowy figures surrounded them, one grabbed him, while the others took her away. Naruto remembered glancing towards the grave, seeing the Sandaime Hokage standing there, shaking his head.

Shaking his head to rid himself of the visions, Naruto crawled out of bed to take a hot shower. He had a feeling something big was going to go down today. He hoped he was prepared.


	2. Home

Here is chapter 1. As a note, I started drafting this before some of the more recent chapters. Therefore, this story will incorporate chapters up until number 450. There will be elements of later chapters.

Enjoy!

* * *

The night was cool in Konoha. No one outside, all were nestled in their beds, sleeping peacefully, no cares. All except for one man. He walked alone down the street, remembering the buildings and landmarks that used to stand there years ago. A stray cat wandered by, black in color with the brightest golden eyes the man had ever seen, brighter and far more innocent then the slitted ones he saw so often before.

Turning onto a side road, he made his way towards an oddly foreboding apartment. It has been a long time since he set foot in this village and he knew he might not be welcomed. Though he spent the whole day talking with Tsunade, the reinstated Hokage of Konoha, and she made sure two ANBU followed him at all times, he felt as if he had just arrived. Wandering up to the top floor of the complex, he knocked on the door. To his surprise, the occupant was awake and very shocked at who stood in his door way.

"Sas....Sasuke?!?" Naruto mumbled out, eyes wide in shock.

"Hn, nice to see you too, dobe." The Uchiha smirked at the gawking man in front of him.

The last Naruto saw Sasuke was when he met up with him almost 6 years before. At the nice age of 21, the two men were built, both measuring up to over 6 feet. Naruto's hair was the same as it was when he was 15, unruly, though longer, and his blue eyes still held that childish shimmer. Sasuke's hair was still in it's chicken-style with the bangs reaching his jaw.

"What are you doing here?" Naruto whispered loudly, pulling the man into his apartment. "You are a missing-nin yet here you are wandering around a city with ANBU having orders to kill you at first sight!"

"I am not a missing-nin anymore, dobe." Sasuke told him, stuffing his hands into his pockets and flopping down on chair. "I spent all day today talking with Tsunade. Though I left the village, she is dropping my charges because of the problems I took care of."

"Which would be....?" The Jinchuuriki asked, sitting across from him

"Long story short, Orochimaru is out of the picture and the Akatsuki are greatly weakened. How....how has everyone been?" He asked of the man beside, curious as to how the ones he went to school with are.

"Bushy Brows is still the same, Hyuuga Neji is married to TenTen, the wedding was actually two weeks ago. Shikamaru is in Sunagakure with his girlfriend Temari, the blonde haired girl from during the Chuunin exams. Everyone else is good and single, to my knowledge at least."

"And Kakashi?"

"Single and perverted, did you expect him to change or something?" Naruto badgered, grinning.

"No, not really." The Uchiha cracked a smirk. "You?"

"Me? Well....I'm dating Hyuuga Hinata, actually. She's such a nice girl, prettiest in the whole village and I've been training real hard, mastering all the things I learned. Tsunade is actually considering me for Hokage because of the growth I made. She says I'm just like my father."

"Your father? But I thought you didn't know who he was."

"Turns out...." Naruto's face went sad for a moment before he smiled brightly, promptly facing the Uchiha fully. "The Fourth was my father, but, as you know, he gave his life to seal the Kyuubi within me."

"The Fourth?"

"Yeah."

The two men sat in silence. Sasuke looked around Naruto's apartment, noting that it was bigger that his previous one, but still maintained the 'charm' of the old one. Clothes were everywhere, along with ramen cups and other various bits of trash. Sasuke glanced back at Naruto. The blonde was slowly coming down from his shocked state and sat there with a smile on his face.

"Naruto?"

"Yeah, Sasuke?" The blonde glanced at his friend, noticing his unusual expression.

"How's....Sakura?"

Naruto's grin become solemn, his seriousness shocking Sasuke.

"She went on a mission 4 years back. Sakura never came back. Reports came in of a fight in Rock country between a pink haired girl and an unknown opponent. There was an explosion and all that was left were Sakura's gloves and headband. She was announced KIA earlier this year."

Sasuke sat there in silence. It was hard to accept what Naruto said. He could remember the night that he left Konoha. Sakura begged him to stay, to not leave. Sasuke ignored what she said and knocked her out, leaving her cold and alone on that bench. When he saw her again, he felt no remorse for what he did, but now knowing that she was pronounced dead, made him think back on their former team. They were an unlikely bunch, but worked well together. Him and Naruto would always protect Sakura, despite how much she annoyed him. After the Chuunin exams, however, he looked at her different. Sakura was able to hold herself better and stand up to others.

"They never found her body?" Sasuke asked.

"No. ANBU scoured the area, even Kakashi checked. They couldn't find anything."

"Then she might still be alive? Why did Tsunade call off the search?"

"Apparently the elders had something to do with it. They told her she needed to stop obsessing and face the fact that there is no body to uncover. The entire surrounding area was destroyed. The likelihood of Sakura's body being in the explosion was almost 100 percent. I think it was bullshit, though. Sakura was smarter than that. If her attacker was able to get away, why not her?" Naruto fumed, standing up to pace the floor. "Tsunade has given up hope and so has everyone else, except for me. Kakashi keeps telling me to accept, but I can't. I know Sakura. She would never go down that easy. I think she's out there, somewhere."

"Then why hasn't she come back?"

"Maybe she can't."

Naruto stopped to look out the window. The sun was starting to rise in the east. Birds began to awake in the trees, singing their morning songs. Glancing down at the street below, he noted the two ANBU standing at the entrance to his building. Apparently Sasuke was on constant watch. A person was coming down the street in a hurry. Whoever they were stopped to talk to the operatives before brushing past them. A knock was heard on the door and Naruto walked over to answer it. Shizune stood there panting lightly, Ton Ton in her arms.

"I need you to come to Lady Tsunade's quickly." She glanced past Naruto and saw Sasuke. "You too, Uchiha-san."

* * *

Tsunade sat behind her desk, a cup of tea in her shaking hands. A single tear escaped the corner of her eye, trailing down her cheek. The door opened and the three walked in. Naruto noticed the look on Tsunade's face and began to worry. A scroll sat opened on her desk. The stacks of papers that were usually in neat piles were strewn all over the floor, an inkwell staining them slowly.

"Tsunade-baa-chan?" Naruto muttered, walking to stand by the obviously distraught Hokage.

"Impossible." She whispered, shaking her head lightly, a small smile coming to her face. "How is it possible?"

"What is it?" Asked Sasuke, curious as to what was up.

"She's alive."

* * *

Kakashi slowly blinked open his eyes, squinting immediately as the sunlight blinded him for a moment. His Icha-Icha book lay open on the bed, the teal cover worn out. It was the last one that Jiraiya ever wrote. Sitting up and stretching, he lazily crawled out of bed and stumbled to his shower, turning the cold all the way right. It was enough to jolt him awake. After the quick washing, Kakashi threw on a clean uniform, grabbed his book and weapons, before sauntering out of his apartment and down to the streets below.

It was an unusually quiet day, yet the sun shown down brightly. Something told Kakashi that there was a big thing about to go down. Making his way to the new Hokage tower, he was curious as to why there was so much going on inside. People were rushing around, papers were flying everywhere. He slipped past it all and made his way to the Hokage's office. Knocking lightly on the surface, Kakashi waited until he heard a faint 'come in' from the other side before opening it. What he saw surprised him.

Sasuke sat against the wall, his head resting on his drawn-up knees. Naruto was leaning next to him, eyes wide and staring upward. It was quiet in the room, neither the boys nor Tsunade were making any noise. A scroll lay open on the desk, it's contents made him curious.

"Tsunade-hime?" Kakashi muttered, moving to stand beside the Hokage.

"Perhaps you should read this." She responded, passing the scroll to him.

Kakashi took it from her and moved to lean against the desk. The letter was addressed to Tsunade from a correspondent in Iwagakure.

_Tsunade-hime,_

_It's been a while, ne? 19 years since I was last in Konohagakure. The terms on which I left were less that pleasant. I am sure that you have heard rumors, read misleading things, and the Elders have told you some ridiculous lies as to why one of your greatest students was banned from the village. I will tell you the truth in due time. However, there is a more pressing matter._

_Speaking of students, I have knowledge of your apprentice Haruno Sakura. She is currently in my care here in Iwagakure. I discovered her near death almost 45 miles from my home. She was gravely injured and, when she finally regained consciousness almost 6 weeks later, she couldn't remember anything more than her name._

_I would have written to you sooner, but you know how sensitive the psyche is after a traumatic accident. It was essential for her to recover fully before introducing her to the life she once lived. If I had introduced her too early, she could have had a nervous break. I do understand that it has been 4 years since her disappearance and that she has been declared KIA. Though, I am sure, you understand my reasons better than anyone._

_My sincerest apologies, Tsunade-hime. It was not my intention to worry you or the village, but I will tell you these three things._

_Sakura's attacker is still at large and he is not a part of Akatsuki, that much I know._

_You may send a team to come and get her, preferably Kakashi and Naruto._

_I am planning on returning, despite my status as a missing-nin._

_My place of business is the largest blacksmith shop 20 miles southwest of Iwa, named Hatsume-Kaze. Take the northern road out of Konoha, then go east just south of the Valley of the End towards Takigakure. Pass through the country sticking to the main road and staying on it. You will know which side road to take. There will be a sign marking the way to my shop. I will have a student awaiting your team at noon in 1 week's time. _

_I will be awaiting your team's arrival._

_Sincerely,_

_Renji_

Kakashi sat the scroll down, a confused look on his face. Sakura was alive, thankfully, but who was this Renji and why did they ask for him and Naruto. He looked at Tsunade.

"Finally." He said, handing the scroll back. "Finally, we know what happened to her. Before we get to that, however, what is Sasuke doing here?"

"I have pardoned him on the grounds that he is stripped of his title as a ninja for 5 years, is under constant surveillance, and must report to me for evaluations every week. He is also forbidden from leaving the village, unless under extreme circumstances, such as this." Tsunade rose from her seat and moved to stand in front of her desk. "The three of you, along with Hyuuga Hinata, will go to see Renji in Iwa and bring her and Sakura back home."

"Excuse me.....her?" Kakashi questioned.

"Yes, Kakashi, her. You know who I'm talking about, right?"

"Yeah, I do."

* * *

Review please!!


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